Craig Herrett, Sales Manager at VoIPon Solutions speaks exclusively to Yealink. Craig caught up with Merry Eacott, Assistant Marketing Director for Yealink about the launch of the new Yealink T48G IP Phone, the newly planned EU office and new products planned for 2014.

You can Listen to the Yealink Podcast and see the full transcript below:

VoIPon: Broadcasting from various countries around the world using Voice over IP Technology, this is VoIP Uncovered, a VoIPon Solutions UK Podcast, I’m Craig Herrett. Today we are interviewing Yealink, and here with me is Merry Eacott, the Assistant Marketing Director for Yealink. Thank you for taking our podcast today, Merry.

Merry Eacott, Yealink: That’s quite alright, Craig.

VoIPon: Please could you give the VoIPon audience a brief history of Yealink and how the last 12 months have been for Yealink?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: Well, Yealink was founded in 2001. It is a global top three SIP phone supplier and a leading provider of VoIP phone and IP communication solutions. Yealink focuses on producing VoIP products that are characterised by high performance, easy deployment and affordable price. Based on solid-core technology, Yealink benefits it’s customers through the flexibility that is offered by our technical support and broad interoperability with the major IP PBX, softswitch and IMS systems. Yealink has been chosen by many famous carriers, enterprises and clients from over 80 countries to provide VoIP products and services. We deliver to SMBs and a variety of customers worldwide with the best choice for extending their range of network communications.

In 2013, Yealink has accomplished many great achievements, particularly in four different aspects. Firstly, Yealink’s sales revenue has realised a two digit increase for the last five consecutive years which represents an aggressive annual growth. Yealink, most importantly, also released new products including the IP DECT phone, the ultra-elegant T4 series and also a range of low-end, large LCD IP phones such as the SIP-T21P and also the SIP-T19P models. In the last year, Yealink has also gained many new customers including BT, KPN, Daisy, Arbitel and Gamma among many others.

And finally, Yealink has opened an overseas office in the US and an EU office is also being established and will be operational this year.

VoIPon: Yealink continue to produce leading VoIP Phones such as the Yealink T22P and Yealink VP530, please could you tell us more about the new T4 range such as the Yealink T41P, T42G and the T46G IP Phones?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: Yes, the Yealink T4 series IP phones, including the ones you just mentioned, and also the SIP-T48G phone, are designed specifically for consumers who expect integrated communications to incorporate high level functionality and an ultra-smart design. The SIP T4 range all represent the next generation of VoIP phones for business users who require a range of rich telephony features, a friendly user interface and also superb voice quality. All three of these things are seen as a future-proof infrastructure investment which is capable of providing a seamless and low-cost switchover to modern GUI based, or in the case of the SIP-T41P, cost efficient, megabit ethernet, high speed broadband networks. The SIP-T48G, T46G and T42G all have dual-core, gigabit ethernet connections that offer a range of flexible installation options. They also ensure much lower cabling costs. Each have an extra large, 4.3” 480 x 272 pixel high-resolution TFT colour display screen. This means that the call information is displayed very clearly with high illumination. Additionally, the user interface for each model is designed to provide clarity and intuitive operation. So, the features of the series also include USB bluetooth support for easy bluetooth headphone use. Enhanced sound quality is delivered by the Optima HD voice system, which meets TIA 920 certification standards. This series is very revolutionary in appearance and has many advanced technical features. It is very convenient and easy to use. It’s concept is based on making pen and paper redundant in busy office environments and it really represents the cutting edge of contemporary VoIP technology in action.

There are additionally two accessories which further enhance their performance. The first is the Yealink EXP40 expansion module for the T48G and the T46G. This is designed to take SIP phone functional capability to a new level. It uses a large backlit graphic LCD, and two pages of twenty programmable keys. These can be programmed for up to 40 productivity enhancing features.

The second accessory is the BT40 bluetooth USB dongle which allows connectivity to the SIP-T48G and T46G through a wide variety of bluetooth headsets. This allows users to then be able to receive calls wherever they are in the office.

VoIPon: We mentioned earlier the T48G, and mentioned just then regarding the accessories for the T48G. Could you tell us more about this product?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: The SIP-T48G is an advanced multimedia IP phone. Yealink has designed the T48G to make life more efficient for busy CEOs, CTOs, senior directors and other executive professionals who expect business IP phones to perform on a par with modern smartphones.

A major advance is the inclusion of an ultra-easy to read 7” touchscreen that is very simple to operate. The result, therefore, is a new level of interaction that really closes the gap between mobile phones and dedicated business network phones with added functionality. As well as supporting 6 separate SIP accounts, the T48G also incorporates 29, one-touch, DSS keys to really put instant business efficiency right at your fingertips.

VoIPon: Why should VoIPon customers purchase the Yealink IP Phone range over rival phones from brands such as Grandstream, snom, Aastra and Gigaset?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: Well, Yealink has over ten years of experience working in the VoIP and telecommunications sector. The company itself employs over 350 people, 200 of which form the R&D team whose support relating to the IP phone range is one of the companies great strengths. Yealink is very focussed and dedicated to its production of only IP phones and related accessories and software. This approach means that our company has extensive knowledge and experience in this field. Yealink has its own proprietary solution and designs all its own hardware and software. Thirty engineers are dedicated to technical support and as I mentioned earlier we have two oversees offices in the US and another soon to be in the EU, in order to better provide technical support and expand the global distribution channel that already exists and provide excellent local support to the distributors.

The products offered by Yealink are of a better  quality than the industry average with millions of units having been shipped worldwide. Yealink products and services are also very cost effective, the company provides excellent quality at an affordable price. We provide a full range of products including the mid level T2 and T3 series and options from the entry level IP phones such as the T19 and T21 to the ultra elegant T4 series. As such we cater for a wide variety of IP phone and communication level requirements. Our products are very easy to use with options for localised language combined with a menu driven, simple user interface and are also easy to deploy and maintain. Our products also contain high levels of security due to the use of HTTPS provisioning, TLS authentication and signal encryption and SRTP voice encryption. Furthermore, broad compatibility and new advanced features such as call center and hoteling highlight the rapid development of IP phones in a market in which Yealink leads the way in design and functionality.

VoIPon: That’s a very compelling argument to choose Yealink from VoIPon. So, to continue your double digit growth, What does Yealink have planned for next twelve months and are there any new products on the horizon?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: Well in 2014, Yealink is planning on releasing the WiFi dongle so that T4 series models, the T46G and T48G will be able to support WiFi. There is also a new videophone that is planning on being released, as Yealink believe these particular aspects are essential to the advancement of the IP phone industry.

VoIPon: And finally how do you see the VoIP Phone industry moving forward?

Merry Eacott, Yealink: Well at the moment the VoIP phone occupies 10% of the market share for the telecommunications sector, but considering the great potential of this market, in the next five years it should grow five to six times its current size.

In addition, the traditional PBX system will gradually switch to IP PBX. In the VoIP Phone market, Yealink really leads as the global top three VoIP Phone provider and in the past five years alone it is Yealink that has really advanced IP Phone technology with the T2 series that has incorporated HD Audio Technology and then the T3 colour screen and gigabit series and more recently in 2013, the release of the T4 series based on the concept of paperless communication in the office environment.

It is clear that the VoIP phone industry is progressing as directed by Yealink, which believes that new advances in IP phone technology will really relate to the development of better WiFi and video capabilities.

VoIPon: That’s fantastic Merry. I’d really like to thank you for your time today and for bringing VoIPon listeners up to speed with the developments in Yealink. This has been a VoIP Uncovered podcast. For more information, please visit www.voipon.co.uk

Share this story with your friends or work colleagues. If you want to stay up to date with our latest products, industry news and offers you can sign up to our monthly newsletters, keep up to date with us on Facebook or follow us on twitter @VoIPon.